Umbrella-runner.



No. 707,838, Patented Aug. 26, I902.

W. H. GASKILL. UMBRELLA RUNNER.

(Application filed Nov. 16, 1900.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shaat l.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IVILLIAM II. GASKILL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO SAMUELWV. EVANS, JR, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

UMBRELLA-RUNNER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 707,838, dated August26, 1902.

Application filed November 16,1900. Serial No. 36,673. (No model.)

To whom it may concern: 7 enlarged upper portion within which the Be itknown that I, WILLIAM H. GASKILL, springinterposed between thespring-case and a citizen of the United States, residing in the therunner proper is contained, said runnercityandcountyofPhiladelphia,StateofPenntelescopically receiving thespring-case and 55 sylvania, have inventeda new and useful Imbeingprovided with novel means on its upprovement in Spring-Cases and Runnersfor per portion, so that the metal of the upper Self-Opening Umbrellas,of which the followportion of therunner-body is prevented from ing is aspecification. being forced inwardly when the stretchers are Heretoforein the construction of a springwired in position with respect to saidrunner, 60 IO case for a self-opening umbrella it has been this latterprovision being effected either by the custom to employ solder orsimilar matemeans of a separate ring, which is placed in rial to eifectthe union of the tubular portion position near the upper extremity ofthe runof the spring-case with the body portion of the ner, or, ifdesired, the upper extremity of said v slotted ring attached thereto;but this method runner can be formed with a strengthening 65 [5 ofconstruction is open to serious defects in bead or ridge, which isrolled, knurled, or

practice, for the reason that the serrations or otherwise formed for thepurpose specified. slits in said ring must be cut therein before Itfurther consists of novel details of conthe tubular portion is securedthereto, and in struction, all as will be hereinafter fully set the actof soldering a portion of the solder in forth, and particularly pointedout in the 70 2o practice leaks through the joint between said claims.

tubular portion and ring and fills the slits in Figure 1 represents aside elevation of a the latter, which must be afterward cleaned springcase or retainer fora self-openingumout, thereby entailing considerableexpense brella embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 repin the manufacture ofspring-cases for umresents a longitudinal sectional view of Fig. 75brellas of this character in large quantities. 1, the section beingtaken on line w a; of said By my present invention I have found thatfigure. Fig. 3 represents a side elevation of by forming an annulargroove in the body of the tubular portion of a spring case or rethe ringbelow the slits therein and then astainer for a self-opening umbrelladetached sembling said ring and tubular portion or. from its ring,showing the position of the 80 barrel so that the end portion of thelatteris parts prior to assembling. Fig. 4 represents slipped over saidgroove and slightly beyond a longitudinal sectional View of another formthe latter, after which the metal of said tubuof spring-retainer whereinthe lower portion lar portion is depressed into said groove by of thebody thereof is drawn down to substanknurling, rolling, or othersuitable means, a tially the diameter of the umbrella rod or 85 joint ofa superior character can be effected stick. Fig. 5 represent-s aperspective sec without the use of solder and without necestional viewof the spring case or retainer and sitating the subsequent cleaning outof the its coacting spring and runner. Fig. 6 repslits of said ring.resents a verticalsectional view of my novel To the above ends one partof my invenumbrella-runner and ringin the first stage of 0 tion consistsof the novel construction of a its manufacture. Fig. 7 represents alongispring-case or springretainer for a self-opentudinal sectional viewof the runner and ating umbrella, said spring case or retainer betachedring completed. Fig. 8 represents a ing composed of two parts, onebeingthe tulongitudinal sectional view of another form bular portion andthe other thering', the latof umbrella-runner and attached ring em- 5ter having an annular groove or recess in its bodying my invention, Fig.9 represents a body portion, into which the metal of said longitudinalsectional view of another emtubular portion is deflected or sunk bymeans bodiment of my invention. Fig. 10 repreof knurling, rolling, orother suitabl'e'm'eans. sents a perspective view of the ring seen in Theother feature of my invention consists Fig. 9 in detached position. Fig.11 repre- I00 of an improved construction of a runner for sentsalongitudinal sectional View of another a self-opening umbrella, thesame having an embodiment of my invention in its first stages -nulargroove E, it being noted that the upper and lower bearings F and G areprovided on either side of said groove, so as to aiford a bearing forthe contiguous part H of the tubular portion B. It will now be noticedthat said ring and collar are secured to an internal tube B and that thelatter is fitted within the tubular portion or exterior tube B.

The parts are assembled by slipping the end part or extremity H of thetubular portion B over the body portion D of the ring untilthe extremityH occupies substantially the position seen in Figs. 1 and 2, after whichthe metal of the tube is sunk into the annular I I'OOVO O1 TGGGSS E bymeans Of knurlin" rolling, or other suitable means, whereby a tightjoint is produced without the use of solder and the annular groove J inthe outer peripheral portion of the tube is formed, which gives thefinished appearance to the device.

While I have described my invention as being especially applicable tospring-cases for self-opening umbrellas, it will of course be understoodthat the completed spring case or retainer can be used for otherpurposes and that other changes in the manner of manufacturing the samecan be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

In Fig. 4 I have shown the body K of the spring case or retainer asdrawn down to nearly the diameter of the umbrella-rod L, it beingapparent that the spring which in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 is contained withinthe tubularpor tion B is in the case of Fig. 4 retained in position onthe exterior of said tubular portion K and abuts against the wall orshoulder M, which latter has the upwardly-extending portion N knurled,rolled, or otherwise secured in position in the same manner and for thesame purpose as has been described with respect to Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Inthis case the inner tube B which carries the ring and groovedcollar,rests against the upper side of the shoulder M.

Referring to Fig. 13, which shows the parts in assembled position, itwill be apparent that as the spring case or retainer A telescopes intothe runner P, which latter contains the lower extremity of the spring Q,it being essential that the spring case or retainer slides or telescopesfreely within said runner. I have, however, found in practice that whenthe extremities R of the stretchers S are wired in position in the upperpart of the runner in the act of wiring there is a tendency to compressor distort the upper extremity of the runner, and the second part ofmyinvention has special reference to providing means whereby theliability of crushing or distorting the upper extremity of the runner isprevented. In carrying out this embodiment of my invention I first sinkor knurl a groove T in the laterally-extending flange U of the ring V,the parts now appearing as seen in Fig. 6, after which by suitable meansthe outer peripheral portion of the flange U is deflected downwardly, soas to form an annular lip W, as seen in Fig. 7, the ring being afterwardprovided with the slits X for the reception of the ends R of thestretchers, the latter being secured in position by means of the wirelying in the annular recess Y, as is evident. It will be apparent thatby the provision of the annular head or knurl T in the positionspecified the upper extremity of the runner-ring is greatly strengthenedand the liability of crushing the same during the wiring of thestretchers in position is entirely obviated.

In'the construction seen in the upper portion of Fig. 8 I have shownanother form of the embodiment of my invention, the metal being'swelledout, as indicated at W, and the upper portion of the ring having thedownwardly-deflected lip or flange X, it being apparent that theswelled-out portion W has the same function as the inner wall of therecess Y, already described.

In Fig. 9 I have shown the runner-ring as provided with thelaterally-extended flange Y and the exterior downwardly-deflected lip orflange Z, the upper portion of the runnerring being embraced by theauxiliary ring A, Fig. 10, the position of the parts when assembledbeing clearly understood from said Fig. 9. I

In Fig. 11 I show the first step of another embodiment of my invention,wherein I roll or otherwise form the knurl B in the upper portion of therunner-ring, after which the flange C is deflected so as to form theouter peripheral lip D, the function of the knurl B being to strengthenthe upper portion of the runner, as has already been explained.

In Figs. 5 and 13 I have shown the parts in assembled position, and Idesire to also call attention to the fact that I make the enlargedportion E of the runner and the reduced portion F integral, or in onepiece, whereby it will be seen that the runner consists of merely thering V and the tubular portions E F, which latter are integral, or inone piece, whereby the cost of production is reduced to a minimum.

I make no claim herein to the feature of a self-opening umbrella, as thepresent invention is more especially designed to protect the novelmanner of securing the tubular portion of the spring-case to the slittedring without the use of solder in addition to the provision, broadly, ofnovel means to prevent the upper portion of the runner-ring from beingcrushed or otherwise inwardly distorted during the wiringof thestretchers in position upon the telescoping tubular portion B of thespring case or retainer.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a spring-case for an umbrella, a tube, and a ring having a collar,the latter being provided with an annular groove on the exteriorthereof, the contiguous metal of said t-ube being deflected into saidgroove and secured to the wall thereof.

2. In a spring-case for an umbrella, an ex terior tube, a ring having acollar, said collar being provided with an annular groove on theexterior thereof, the contiguous metal of the exterior tube beingdeflected into said groove and engaging with the surface of said collaron opposite sides of said groove.

3. In a spring-case for an umbrella, a ring having a collar, a groove onthe exterior of said collar, and an exterior tube having its upperextremity knurled or otherwise deflected into said groove, the lowerportion of said exterior tube being of reduced diameter.

at. A runner for a self-opening umbrella,

consisting of a body portion having a ring attached thereto, said ringhaving an outer downwardly-deflected peripheral lip or flange, and aninner annular strengthening device between said lip and the inner Wallof said ring whereby the upper portion of said ring is prevented frombeing crushed inwardly in the act of wiring the stretchers in position.

5. As an improved article of manufacture, a runner having an annulargroove at its upper portion, said groove being closed at its top andopen at its bottom, and annu1arlydisposed strengthening means on theinner wall of said groove between the inner and outer walls of the ring,whereby the upper portion of the device is prevented from being crushedinwardly during the Wiring of the stretchers in position.

6. A spring-case for an umbrella consisting of an interior tube, anotched ring having a collar, said ring and collar being carried by saidtube, said collar being provided with an annular groove on the exteriorthereof, and an exterior tube, the metal of which latter is deflectedinto said groove and engaged with the portion of said collar on theopposite sides of said groove.

WILLIAM H. GASKILL.

\Vitnesses:

HERMAN HARGREAVES, J. MACDONOUGH.

